Durant And Suns Face Criticism After Abysmal Showing In Elimination Loss To Nuggets

Photo: Instagram/Kevin Durant

Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns were heavily criticized by NBA fans following their disappointing 125-100 loss to the Denver Nuggets in Game 6 of the playoffs, which saw the Suns eliminated from the competition for the second consecutive year.

The Suns' acquisition of Durant during the trade deadline had positioned them as strong contenders to represent the Western Conference in the NBA Finals this season.

Durant finished the game with 23 points, however, he shot only 8-of-19 from the field, and the poor start to the game contributed to the Suns' abysmal performance.

Photo: Instagram/Kevin Durant has been averaging 25.6 points per game since joining the Phoenix Suns, and perhaps the most impressive numbers are his shooting splits, as he is shooting 58.2 percent from the floor and 51.6 percent from three-point range.

His teammate, Devin Booker, also struggled with his shooting, managing only 12 points on 4-of-13 from the field.

Meanwhile, Cameron Payne led the Suns with 31 points. The Nuggets, who were the top-seeded team, played like a unit on a mission, shooting 53.7 percent from the field, and were led by Nikola Jokic, who scored 32 points, had 12 assists, and 10 rebounds, making it his third triple-double of the series.

Jokic is now among the six players to have recorded at least three triple-doubles in a single playoff series.

Jamal Murray added 26 points, while Kentavious Caldwell-Pope went off for 21 points. Fans took to Twitter to vent their frustrations with Durant and the Suns' lackluster performance, especially given the magnitude of the game.

The Suns now face a long offseason and serious questions about their future, with 38-year-old Chris Paul nearing the end of his career and Deandre Ayton appearing disinterested during the series against the Nuggets.

The Suns will rely heavily on Durant and Booker to work on their chemistry over the summer to give the team a chance to compete successfully next season.

Read Next: Warriors' JaMychal Green And Coach Steve Kerr Speak Out Against Flopping Trend After LeBron James Denies Seeking Opportunities

Source: Breacher Report 

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